FX TERMINAL

Market Sessions & Forex Market Hours

Trade the right hours. The session monitor shows the Sydney, Tokyo, London and New York forex sessions in real time — including the high-liquidity London/New York overlap — so you always know which markets are open and when volatility typically peaks.

Know which market is open right now

Forex runs 24 hours a day across five days, but it is not one continuous market — it is a relay between Sydney, Tokyo, London and New York. The session monitor shows each one live in your local time, including the London/New York overlap where liquidity and volatility peak.

London is the largest centre by volume and typically sets the day's direction; New York adds the US data releases; Tokyo drives yen and Asia-Pacific crosses; Sydney is the thinnest and most range-bound.

Match your strategy to the session

Breakout and trend strategies work best in the London open and the London/New York overlap, when real volume is behind the move. Range and mean-reversion strategies fare better in the Asian session and the late New York hours, when liquidity thins and ranges hold.

Spreads widen at the daily rollover and into the weekend close, which is worth knowing before you place a tight stop late on a Friday.

Frequently asked questions

What are the forex market hours?

The market opens with Sydney on Sunday evening Eastern time and closes with New York on Friday afternoon, running continuously in between as Sydney, Tokyo, London and New York hand over to each other.

What is the best time to trade forex?

The London/New York overlap — roughly 8am to noon Eastern — has the deepest liquidity, tightest spreads and largest moves, making it the most active window for most strategies.

When does the London session open?

London opens at 8:00 UK time, which is 3:00am Eastern in winter. The monitor shows the exact local time for you, adjusted for daylight saving.

Which session is best for a specific pair?

Trade a pair when its home markets are open: EUR and GBP pairs in London, USD pairs in the New York session, JPY and AUD pairs during Tokyo and Sydney.

Is forex open on weekends?

No. Interbank trading closes Friday evening and reopens Sunday evening, which is why gaps can appear at the Sunday open.

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FX Terminal provides free market research and analysis for informational purposes only. Nothing here is investment advice or a recommendation to trade. Trading forex carries a high level of risk.